Centrifugal separator.



Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

M/be /n2 ma (15.5.

NILE! L-x'i MAUSS, OF JOHANNESBUR-G, TRA NSVAAL, SOUTH cEn'rRIsnGaL ,snrnna'ron.

Specification of Lett ers Patent.

Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

Application filed Decembr 17. 1912. Serial No. 737,171.

It; all whomit may; concern Be it known that I, VVILHELM MAUss,"a l-iritish subject. residing at Commercial Exchange Buildings, Johannesbur in the lrovinceof the Transvaal, Union of South Africa. have invented certai'nnew and use' ful Improveu'rents in Centrifugal Separa-: tors. of which the following is a specification. i

he present invention relates to centrifugal separators' of'that kind wherein the material to be separated is fed into a drum which is rotated about an axis distant from its own axis in order to cfi'ect the separation of the constituents of he material and is also rotated at relatively slow rate about its own axis. The eilect otthe latter rotation is so to change the. position of the surface upon which .the separated material of higher specific gravity is deposited as to diminish or reverse the effect of the centrifugal force in holding the deposited ma terial on the surface of the drum and thus enable such material to be readily separated therefrom; The apparatasusually consists of two or more vesse s syn'irnetrieally disposed about the main a" of rotation.

It is the purposeo f the present invention to provide in such apparatus an improved form of drum specially adapted to clear itself. readily.

In the accompanyingdrawing: Figural is partly sectional elevation of a centrifugal apparatus embodying the improve- .mentsl l ig. II is an ideal section on A-A,

Fig. I.

1 is a main shaft rotated about its axis by suitable driving means 4, and having rigidly secured to it a cradle Said cradle carries two or more drums 6 symmetrically disposed to it and having their axes 7 spaced from axis 2- so that upon rotation of shaft 1 they are Whirled bodily around the same.

Each drum is mounted in the cradle 5 to be rotatable about its own axis 7 and is so rotated by means of gearing 8. shaft 9 passing through shaft 1, pinion IO-thereon and the annular racks 11 on the outside of the drums. Shaft 1 is bifurcated at 12 to per-v mit the engagement of said pinion 10 with the racks 11. Each drum is served by a feed pipe 18 extending from a common trough 19 mounted upon and rotating with shaft 1.

Each drum consists of a lower conical main portion which converges toward the com.-

ally open lower end 16. it its upper end is an in ardly projecting flange 13 forming the overflow lip. The axis 7 of the drum is inclined upwardly away from the main axis the disposition of the parts being such that the portion 15 of the wall nearest the ma n axis 2 stands substantiallyvertically, while the n termost point 25 of the lower edge of the'drum is almost vertically liel-oivthe outermost point 260i the overflow lip l'l but slightlynearer to axis 2 than the latter, thus forming a chamber 27to contain the material during separation. The inclination of the outermost portion 28 of the wall of the drum is such that the material tends to slide oil? the same when the apparatus is at resti A drum above described provides at its outermost part the separating chamber 27 such as to retain the material in it against the action of gravity, While allowing the liquid constituent of the material to flow away over the lip 13. ()n the other hand, the chamber characteristic disappears entirely at that part 15 of the drum next to the main axis :2, which part 15 becomes simply a tical wall from which the material may fall freely through the completely open lower end of the drum. Moreover, in the event of the machine stopping this form of drum enables the whole of its contents to fall out freely from all parts of its periphery. Below the drums is the bin 17 for receiving the heavy separated material.

20 is an annular casing inclosing the eradle and drums to reduce airjriction and form a shield in case of breakage.

The operation of the device is as follows.

The apparatus having been brought up to ter rotates or. i s axis 7 (in the direction of the arrow, Fig. II), thus causing the pulp to emerge from the layer of liquid and at the same a. a: progressively reversing the relative positions of said pulp and said sur' face in regard to the main axis of rotation The 2 of the centrifugal force in m material to saidsurface is thus ioo - gradually diminished until it disappears when said surface is radial to axis 2 whereaftertlie effect is reversed and the material, it it has not already fallen' off by gravity, is projected fromthe surface by an increasingly efl'ective force which reaches its maximum at the position 15. Upon stoppage of the apparatus, .the whole of the drums contents fall out, leaving the machine ready to start without having first to be cleared of settled pulp, as is frequently necessary in centrifugal apparatus. In some cases it maybe desirable to provide the inner surface of the drums with ribs 1-3 (Fig; I) which positively convey the set-- tled material around with the drum.

What I. claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is i Centrifugal separating apparatus comprising a drum rotatable about a main axis Copies of this patent may be obtained for distant from its own axis and also rotatable about its own axis, said drum consisting of a lower conical main portion converging toward its open lower end and an inwardly projecting flange at the top, the axis of the drum being so inclined away from the main axis upwardly that the portion of the drum remote from the main axis forms a separating chamber in which material is retained eentrifugally against the action of gravity, while the portion of the drum next to the main axis forms a substantially vertical wall from which material can fall through the lower end of the drum.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILHELM MAUSS.

WVitnesses:

M. HILLMAN VINCENT, WVEsLEY E. JOHN.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

